"Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it."

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Digital? Print? Does it Matter?

As part of my day job I get market reports that cover all aspects of publishing. One recent report was talking about the growth of digital vs. print books and how digital is expected to account for 16% of the market by 2013. While I find this interesting in terms of what it means to the publishing industry and how the face of the bookstore is changing, I'm left wondering how does this impact me as a writer, and does it really matter?

Now, I'm no mathematician or business analysis, but I have read articles about what this means for royalties and advances, how the writer seems to get shortchanged, but once again I ask you, does this really matter?

So this post doesn't become too philosophical, let me acknowledge that I want to make money and support writers' rights, and I don't think it's right that it seems like it's always the artists that gets screwed over.

But that's not my point.

What I'm getting at is that to me I don't care if my cozies are available in e-format or paperback; I just care that they're available. And I'm not thinking I'm going to make my livelihood being a writer, but maybe put some money aside for my daughter's college account, or take a nice vacation, buy a boat, something like that.

So I ask you, does the digital revolution really matter to you? If so, why or why not? And if you totally disagree with me, even better :)

1 comment:

The digital revolution matters to me because, as a published writer (just articles and a short story so far), I need to know what--and where--my audience is. I don't necessarily like the direction my audience is taking--heck, even my better half listens to e-books--but I'm a realist as well as a purist. I don't like it, but I can't ignore it.